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High school learners increasingly vape on school grounds, raising health and discipline concerns
A new study has raised concerns over rising vaping among South African high school learners. The research led by Professor Richard Van Zyl-Smith, from University of Cape Town found that e-cigarettes are now the most commonly used inhaled substance, often linked to cannabis and tobacco use.
The study involved 25 000 students.
Van Zyl-Smit says the surge in teenage vaping is fuelled by poor regulation, aggressive marketing and social media influence.
His expert research reveals that e-cigarettes have become the dominant inhaled substance among adolescents.
VIDEO | Worrying rise in vaping among learners at SA schools – Prof Richard van Zyl-Smit & Thabo Manne
Van Zyl-Smit’s research, published in the South African Medical Journal, surveyed learners at 52 schools in eight provinces. It found that 16,8% of school pupils use vaping products, while 36,7% said they had tried e-cigarettes at least once.
WATCH | Prof Richard van Zyl-Smit unpacks key findings from a new study on rising vaping among learners, its links to other substance use, and possible interventions to curb the trend in schools. pic.twitter.com/iT1q5amivI
— SABC News (@SABCNews) April 26, 2026
Meanwhile, educators say vaping is disrupting lessons, with learners leaving class or using devices on school grounds. They warn of serious health risks due to high nicotine levels and are calling for urgent intervention.
The president of teachers’ union NAPTOSA, Thabo Manne says his members are not equipped to deal with the vaping phenomena, which has the potential to affect academic performance.
“Vaping poses a significant health risk in schools, because these are young children. In most cases, we find that now they bunk classes to go out so that they can now satisfy their urge and so on. We have seen that there is a lot of nicotine in these issues and time and again, they will disturb the classes, requesting to go out behind the classrooms and in the passageways,” says National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (NAPTOSA0 President, Thabo Manne.
He says that students smoke in class and during lunch time at school.
“Classes and schools are no longer respected because of this thing. It is very important that something should be done to cut this thing of learners coming to school with these vapes,” adds Manne.
The practice of vaping in South African schools is on the increase and detrimental to learners. That’s the submission of some health experts on the public hearings on Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill 2022 held this week. pic.twitter.com/yxRBGHHMoS
— SABC News (@SABCNews) August 31, 2025
